Texas A&M Aggies Might Not Have Believed Mike Elko, But Now They Have To

The Texas A&M Aggies have an interesting situation on their hands atop the SEC rankings. And while a win over the Mississippi State Bulldogs helped them get there, it also highlighted a needed attitude adjustment.

Oct 19, 2024; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Texas A&M Aggies coach Mike Elko and Mississippi State Bulldogs coach Jeff Lebby speak after a game at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. / Matt Bush-Imagn Images

Even still, Mike Elko isn't sure that the Texas A&M Aggies believed him.

Entering their road test against the Mississippi State Bulldogs, it was clear that his team would have to perform at their best to emerge victorious. It couldn't afford mistakes, and certainly couldn't get too ahead of itself.

At least, all of those things was clear to him.

"It's a road win, and those do not come easy in this league," Elko said. "I said it all week. I'm not sure that everyone in my locker room believed me. But we certainly said it all week, and it played out that way today."

Heading to halftime, the Aggies held a narrow one-score lead. Their offense wasn't lacking — Conner Weigman's second game back ensured that — but it only stayed that way for the first half. After finding the end zone three times in the first 30 minutes, Texas A&M only went back once.

Weigman threw a costly interception late in the third quarter to allow the Bulldogs to make a comeback bid, which is where Taurean York shined the most.

"I thought Taurean was extremely active today," Elko said. "I thought that was by far and away Taurean's best game."

York didn't nab an interception, but he played strong defense all game long to keep the Aggies out front despite Michael Van Buren Jr.'s best attempts. And he was determined.

“Any time the offense turns the ball over we can’t control that," York said. "But we can control how we respond to it.”

When the game was all said and done, a sense of relief flooded the visiting rocker room.

"Relief is the first feeling," Elko said. "We get to keep this thing going. Opportunities like this do not come along much."

With their name atop the SEC rankings after seven weeks of college football, the Aggies are in a unique position. Instead of playing from behind, idealizing scenarios where they could win out and make a run at a good bowl game or even the conference title game, they're ahead.

At the moment, the SEC is the Aggies' to lose.

"When was the last time we were 4-0 (in SEC play)?" Elko said. "When was the last time we won back-to-back road games, in true road environments? We can't take away from those things.

The coach admitted that his squad's victory wasn't pretty. It didn't look good — at least, not by the standard that's seemingly been set since dropping Week 1 to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

They'll go back and refine the weaknesses as much as they can in the meantime, but they'll also be focusing on the things they've already accomplished. If they want those successes to continue, they'll have to play prettier football.

That, and believe their coach when he tells them something will be difficult.